The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-22
TOMATO CULTURE.
Facts Given by an Experienced
. Horticulturist Which Lincoln
County Truck Farmers Should
KnnNr

Rev. J. W. Mcneil In Crystal Springs Meteor.
This is the big crop of Crystal
Springs, the one that claims more at
tention than any other, single crop
among market gardeners. The peo-
pie of this vicinity have studied it and
are now acquainted with all the late
methods of the propagation and
cultivation of that vegetable. There
is a fascination that seems to take hold
of every grower in its cultivation for
market, and very few who begin the
work seem to he ready to abandon 1t,
although some years it has not been
profitable. This is perhaps the reason
why the people of this community
have worked it up to such success,
it's destinations upon the mind even
under adverse circumstances. There
is the cultivation of nothing, either
among the fruits or vegetables, that
seems to have IA absorbing effect upon
the mind as the propagation of the
plants in the hot bed and cold frame.
Even in ante bellum times, during
that period when men bought negroes
to raise cotton, and raised cotton to
buy negroes, and cotton and negroes
were the absorbing question, was that
more absorbing in its effects upon the
mind than the raising and cultivation
of Tomatoes. y man engaged in it
rarely ever asks his neighbor when he
meets him, how is his family, but
chow are your tomatOesH Even ID
D.'s are not exempt from this effect
who have engaged in it. There is a
reason for this. The propagation of
the plants, i'll order to get them i'll the
field in that advanced state that will
insure an early crop, without which
the business is failure, requires that
vigilance and patience, necessary for
sickly child. Not only attention
during the day, but night and all kinds
of weather. The thermometer should
at all times he at its proper place
Either too much heat or cold may re-
suit disastrously to the plants. The
man proposing to engage i'll 1t must
not hesitate to rise at the midnight
hour and apply double covering to
his cold frame. As we have said be
fore. to succeed in the business the
man must love it, study it, and work
it. And the work must be done ut the
proper time and in the proper place.
If the crop is Il short one, it must be
made inside of a certain period or it
will prove failure. Some years there
have been fabulous prices received for
it. while in others comparatively moth
ing. On an average, better than cot
ton. The price of all such crops must
and will seek its level More than an
average paying crop being the result
of eNperjt"".. ..ndcr3&. IL .r- @"'s:. F.
ton. CON, ..o.g. l,YoI.- .a... .a+t
gone ol't iIoii oGl community, hay {"
supposed it an easy crop to rd.Sc.
This impression we feel it our duty to
correct. 1t is Il press of labor from the
beginning to the end of the crop. Its
not money picked up without labor
and anxiety, but at the zeal cost Of
brain and sweat and muscle.
This will answer as Il preface to
what we have to give upon the tomato.
We now reach the inquiries so often
asked. First, the hot bed and how
constructed. We simply drive or
sink stobs in line east and west to
the length desired. TO these we nail
for north or back sides, two planks,
one by twelve inches, the front or
south side constructed in like manner.
The ends are then closed and a wall
of earth raised all around nearly to
the top of the planks. This is done in
order to secure the heat generated i'll
the bed. The inside we dig out some
fifteen or eighteen inches. The hot
bed is then ready for whatever heat
ing material to be used. Hay or leaves
are placed in the bottom to the depth
of five or six inches, being careful to
pack well. Upon this we use either
stable manure or green cotton seed,
either the one or the other or both are
good, to the depth again of four or five
inches. This should be made
thoroughly wet. Upon this we place
good rich earth some four or five
inches. The sash are then placed on
the bed and i'll ten or fifteen days we
plant the seed, being careful to destroy
all small vegetation before planting.
The inquiry often made is, how long
a hot bed is necessary to start enough
plants to the acre, some using more
and some less. The number ordinarily
used on an acre are about $500 which
is about three by four feet apart. A
hot bed of five feet wide will start
about 600 plants to the linear foot.
Any one can from this readily estimate
the length of hot bed desired-say,
about six feet of bed to the acre.
The next thing TO be noticed is the